


Last night's clothes and tomorrow's dreams

by Petrichor24



Category: Star Wars, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Implied Sexual Content, Kylo Ren Needs a Hug, M/M, Set at the time of The Force Awakens
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-28
Updated: 2016-06-28
Packaged: 2018-07-18 19:40:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7327648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Petrichor24/pseuds/Petrichor24
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Hux is ordered by the Supreme Leader to guard an imprisoned Kylo, hate and annoyance quickly evolve into something else.<br/>But when Hux discovers the reason that Kylo has been locked up, he doubts the love that the other man has for him.<br/>Did Kylo commit the atrocities he was accused of, or was he framed? Can their relationship withstand the onslaught of malicious intent?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The sharp clicking of his shoes echoed through the metal corridor, bouncing harshly back to his ears. A stormtrooper loitered in Hux's way, and he snarled in annoyance. He did not have time for this. He had a higher calling. The supreme leader's voice invaded his memory, "The force user Ren is too dangerous to be alone in one of our cells; the finaliser does not have the capacity to contain him. Therefore I need you to watch him like a hawk." Hux muttered darkly to himself, shaking his head. Why him? He was the commander of the ship, for god's sake! He knew himself to be above such petty things. He was still grumbling as he entered the area of the ship devoted to prison cells, and he started when he heard Kylo's deep, resonant voice, "You seem distressed, general." The way he spoke Hux's title made his mind go into a tangled knot: was he being dismissive or flirtatious? Hux had not even rounded the corner, so Ren could not see him yet. He made a note of this in his mind; Ren's use of the force was still active. Hux did not know if it could be bound, anyway.

The one thing Hux had never told anyone on this ship, even Captain Phasma; the closest thing to a friend he had, was his inexplainable curiosity about one mysterious force user. It had begun when they had first met; that shaded visor hovering above the hidden mouth, eyes and nose. Hux had immediately wondered, with an obsessive interest, about what Ren's face looked like under its shadowy façade. He had never seen the man without it. 

But, upon being admitted to the prison cell, the guards would have stripped Ren of his heavy cloak, lightsaber and mask. Hux wondered casually if the features he had imagined, which had haunted his mind for months, were close to what Ren looked like in reality. 

When Hux rounded the corner, eyes gliding along to the only occupied cell, he started. Ren was lounging across the solid, uncomfortable sofa that was bolted to the ground within the cell. Hux could not make his mind work properly, he could only look at the other man, head resting on one hand, dark hair curling around his wrist; clothed in a tight black polo-neck and trousers. His usual long, dress-like cloak was folded across the only other piece of furniture; a small bed. Hux's image of him was not altogether unlike what stared deep into his eyes now, however his imaginary Ren lacked a certain grace or, Hux could even go so far to say, beauty, that was clearly evident in the real version. In the way his hips curved along to his waist and out to his wide chest. The way cheekbones swooped up below his eyes; his jaw curved up to his ear; long lashes framed eyes the colour of sunlight shining through whiskey, brown with flecks of gold and black; the way his lips lifted into a wry smile. "Like what you see, sir?" Hux's gaze snapped away from his, suddenly becoming very interested in the control panel that managed the conditions in the cell. The general's voice sounded strained when he said, "Ren, I have been charged by the supreme leader to watch over you."  
"I'm not sure our all-holy controller intended you to watch over me like you were a second ago." Hux was too busy trying to conceal his blush to berate the other man for mocking his superior. The General tried to continue anyway, "He fears you may try some underhand-"  
"Is this the first time you've seen my face? Without the mask, I mean." Ren seemed to revel in the flinch he earned for interrupting him. Hux sighed in exasperation, realising that being stern might not work, he gave in, "Yes, it is."  
"What do you think?" At Hux's questioning look, the force-user grinned, "Honestly." Hux could not tell if he was being sincere, but decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. "You're much like I imagined, but more-" ... beautiful. He stopped himself quickly, biting his lip. That insufferable grin grew wider, "More... What?"  
"Nothing. More infuriating." Hux snapped. That was a close one. Ren hadn't stopped smiling, and in one enviously smooth movement he stood, running a hand through his ebony hair; "I suppose you are not aware of the abilities of the force, then?" Hux's flustered excuse was enough of an answer. Ren laughed, a deep but not at all grating sound that made Hux smile secretly. "Using the force, you can move objects, but it can also be used to manipulate the mind and thoughts and, consequently, actions." Hux still looked bewildered, so Ren elaborated, "Essentially, I can hear your thoughts, if you think them with enough passion." The other man caught on far too late, cringing in embarrassment. So he heard... Damn, what will I do now? One option was very clear; he should go back to the Supreme leader and ask to be reassigned. Unfortunately, this is not the first though that enters his mind. Primarily, he thinks of opening up the door of the cell and crossing to where Ren stands and reaching out to grasp his face and bringing their lips-  
What was he thinking? Him, a General, and Ren, a criminal. That deep voice invaded his mind, Please, call me Kylo. You have some interesting things stored up here. Any things I should be concerned about? Involving me?  
"Get OUT of my head!" Hux snarled, stepping closer to the glass. Kylo raised an eyebrow,  
"Unfortunately, this pesky barrier separates you and a way release your anger. Such a shame we're on different sides, General." Hux's face had reddened several shades, complementing his hair perfectly. Kylo could sense the rich hue was not only from anger. The dark-haired man hardly had to give Hux's mind a push at all to have him opening the cell and striding inside. Any other criminal would try to escape, but that was not what Kylo desired at all. 

He had the audacity to invade my privacy in that way! It is unacceptable I am a general of the First Or- His thoughts were cut off by hands on his arms, pulling him forwards. Kylo held him in place, Hux being unable to move because of the other man's use of the force. "There's not need to be angry, I just wanted to know the truth." Hux seems to recover slightly, muttering,  
"It was only polite interest, and a little curiosity. Nothing more."  
"I should also tell you that I have an inherent ability to detect when people lie, but nice try." Kylo laughed, "And no one thinks about a person that much and still classifies it as polite interest." Hux was still embarrassed, but Kylo seems to find it funny. Part of Hux wanted Kylo to hold him, but he was kept firmly at arm's length, even though he was sure that Kylo had heard the request for more. 

The force-used stepped back, away from his superior. He shouldn't do what the general wanted so deeply for him to do. Under all that blustering and blushing, the man had made up his mind. "General, you should leave the cell." Kylo's voice was carefully sculpted to sound blank, but Hux had always prided himself in his ability to read people's emotions like books. "You don't want me to." He whispered, furrowing his brow.  
"But you should, nevertheless." Hux tried valiantly to hide the stinging feeling that this caused him.  
"Fine. But I have been ordered to stay here and check that you don't use your abilities to do anything mischievous, so I will stay out there." Hux left the cell and seated himself on the bench across from it. "Oh, you don't have to worry about me, Sir. I'll behave."  
"Somehow I don't believe you, Kylo." Hux realised that he had used the other man's first name. He looked up to gauge the other man's reaction. "Say it again." Kylo's eyes were dark and wide, his stance tense. His voice came out low and husky. Hux shivered almost unnoticeably, "Kylo." This time his reaction was obvious; he glided across the floor to the glass barrier, placing his hand against it. Half of Hux's mind told him to stop, to stay seated, to ignore the man before him. But the other half was desperate; having been confined on a ship bigger than a planet, left with no one to... Express his frustration with. He stood slowly, lining their hands up with the cool glass between them. Kylo's expression was unreadable. Then he spoke, "I feel as if I've fallen so far. I was a Sith Lord and a general, and now I've lost it all."  
"Being a general isn't all it's cracked up to be. We have to babysit you force-users." His words may have been badly chosen, in the situation, but his tone was gentle and kind. Kylo smiled, after several long seconds of silence, he muttered. "Thank you." Hux had never heard him thank anyone before. Kylo laughed, "I'm not that rude! I do say thank you... Occasionally." Hux jumped, still acclimatising to the whole mind-reading experience. "Give me one example." Hux would have crossed his arms playfully, but he didn't want to take his hand away from the glass. He reckoned that he could almost feel the warmth of the other man's hand through the barrier. "I... Just then. I said thank you a moment ago. Didn't you hear me?" His grin was so wide it was contagious. Hux found himself laughing too. The general was somehow extraordinarily glad that Kylo was smiling, not depressed in the corner of the cell. The dark-haired man's expression softened, but he said nothing. Hux's mind tried to hold on to the fact that the perfect man in front of him was a criminal, and a Sith Lord, not to be dallied with. But Hux was pretty sure harmless flirting was not really dallying. Yet.

Hux felt an inexplicable nudge for him to move, as if not by his own violation. Kylo's gaze had turned intense, focused on something beyond the general's understanding. Hux, moments before Kylo used the force on his mind, knew that he should not really go into the cell. This was forgotten immediately. Hux placed his hand up against the scanner, letting the door open; he stepped inside and heard the lock close securely behind him. Once in the cell, Kylo released his hold on the other man's mind; watching Hux blink in mild confusion and raise his eyebrows at Kylo. "Mr Ren, did you just do what I think you did?" His hand rested on one cocked hip.  
"I'm afraid so." Kylo grinned, despite the General's accusatory tone. After a small sigh, Hux glanced around the cell, looking for something. His seemed to be content with his findings, so he took two large steps towards the man before him and brought their lips together, teeth clashing; hands clutching shoulders and twining into hair.  
Hux, later on, could not describe the single thought process that lead from them talking to them kissing. But what he did know what that it was rushed, sudden and probably the best decision he ever made in his life.  
Kylo, and Hux himself, for that matter, was very unpracticed at the whole kissing business. This, however, did not seem to be important to either of them. Kylo took command, backing Hux against the cell wall, pushing their bodies flush against each other. Hux gasped, hands tugging on Kylo's inky hair. The force user seemed so taken by the other man that his powers were running rampant, sending force-waves through the air and shaking the sparse furniture adorning the cell. Without using his hands, Kylo begun to unbutton Hux's military uniform. The general made a small sound of concern against Kylo's mouth. He pulled back, reassuring Hux, "I know you'll look much better without it."  
"We really shouldn't do this, Kylo." Hux was breathless, the other man noted with a grin.  
"The fact that we shouldn't doesn't mean we can't. You always obey orders, just let go for once." Kylo's words sounded undoubtably encouraging to Hux's ears. The general hoped that he wasn't using the force, and that the effect of what Kylo expressed was just down to Hux's desperation at not having had anyone to make love to or dote on for several years. In hindsight, neither reason had much appeal to Hux's pride. Kylo's rough, scarred hands brushed; uncharacteristically gentle, across his superior's cheeks. This simple movement made Hux's decision of whether to stay or not very, very easy. He grabbed Kylo's heavy, dark Sith cloak with one hand and tapped the fingers of the other hand on the back on Hux's neck. "I know what you look like without the mask..." His voice dropped to a sensual whisper, "How about what you look like without the dress?" Kylo's expression of mild offence and desire made Hux's day as he shrugged off his shirt and threw the regulation cap over the dark-haired head of Kylo Ren


	2. Chapter 2

Kylo! Please-" His voice was cut off as their lips met. That long, shadowy cloak was discarded on the floor, along with Hux's own grey uniform. His hands twined into the sheets as Kylo's lips brushed his neck; finally biting down to give him the relief he so desired. Hux's moans echoed around the small room, one of the only sounds to be heard at that time of the night. Hux's mind was almost too far gone into its ecstasy to think, but somehow he marvels at how close the two men had become. The thought hit him with an artificial clarity as Kylo begun doing new and exotic things to his body; extracting new and exotic sounds from the man who lay beneath him. The brief flash of the real world fled, his mind preferring the euphoric action happening in the here and now. But was it really happening?   
Just as Kylo leaned down to warn Hux of what he was about to do, planting a small kiss just behind Hux's ear, the friction between them building to an unbearably pleasurable peak-

Hux's eyes snapped open, a ringing filling his ears. Smacking a hand down on his screaming alarm clock; he closed his bleary eyes angrily, and rolled over to go back to sleep. Phasma can command in my place for a bit longer, he hoped. The general settled back into bed, reaching out to pull the covers around him in a cocoon. His hand brushed another person's bare skin and he jumped, tumbling out of the bed in shock. Kylo Ren squinted over the side of the bed, an amused and equally sleepy smile on his face; "General?"  
"Kylo, what the hell are you doing in my bed?" Hux's stern tone lacked conviction, possibly because he was tired, Kylo reasoned; admitting, however, that the less-than-authoritative effect of the voice was probably more to do with the fact that the other man was completely naked. The effects of that particular dream had still not left his system, and were very obviously still effecting more sensitive regions. Hux rolled over and stood, putting his hands on his hips. This, he decided in hindsight, was probably not a good move, as it left Kylo's head at about the level of said sensitive region. Hux stepped back at that thought, watching the other man's face split in a wide grin. He had doubtless heard that one. "You have failed to answer my question, Mr Ren."  
"Which was?" Kylo rolled over, the sheets twining around his also naked form. His shoulder-length hair fanned out across the sheets endearingly, and Hux tried to pull his focus away from where his mind had strayed to. "Why are you in my bed?"  
"I told you yesterday, General." His tone was playful, smile wide.  
"Don't play stupid with me, Ren, or I'll throw you out of this room without your cloak and mask." Kylo rolled out of the way as Hux leaned down to... What had he been about to do? Hux hesitated before glancing up to look right into Kylo's eyes, which danced with amusement; "Alright, I told you before that I can read your thoughts. That includes your dreams, if you are willing to show me them."  
"How was I willing? I was asleep." Hux blushed as he remembered the details of that particular fantasy; he still felt the lingering sensation of Kylo's hands on his skin, breath hitching and eyes intense. Hux reeled away from the memory, not willing to re-visit it when the very man was sitting in front of him. Kylo shrugged at his question, "you must trust me enough to give me access to your mind. It surprised me too." Hux didn't speak, trying to sort out what he felt in his mind. Kissing Kylo the day before felt like a blur, as if it was also a dream. "I assure you, it wasn't." Kylo commented, eyebrows arched, "It it had been a dream, I would have been less clumsy." Hux chuckled, mind still focused on what to say to Kylo. He was torn between what was right and what was easy, as was so often the case. Either Kylo, I'm afraid we can't do this. I am a general, and I value that position highly; I've worked for my whole life to get where I am, and I'm not sure that a relationship with you would have a very good effect on my chances of keeping my job. I am sorry. Or, on the other hand, I want you to stay. I want this, maybe I need it. It might be a breech of every Order Law that exists, but I don't care. We'll keep it a secret, if you want. Hux realised it was a stupid, far-off hope that no one would realise that something was going on between them. And his dilemma still stood; which choice was right, and which was easy? He could say that following the rules was the correct thing to do, but it was also a cheap way out of a sticky situation. Staying with Kylo felt right, in some ways, but that could just be Hux giving in to long-forgotten desires. He sighed, hearing a small cough. Oh, right. Kylo probably heard all of that. The dark-haired man was frowning thoughtfully; "Yes, I can see the dilemma."  
"Which should I choose?" Hux sounded pleading, even to his own ears.  
"I can't tell you that; I'm a biased opinion." The general sat down on the edge of the bed, pulling the covers gently around him, making sure that Kylo had enough to cover himself too. "You mean you want me to say the latter?"  
"Of course, didn't my actions yesterday tell you that much?" Kylo was smiling again, his mind obviously running through how they ended up curled around each other, hot and sticky but that hadn't mattered because they had felt alive and together and right. Hux knew then what his decision was, and Kylo sensed that he had made up his mind. "I hope you can keep a secret, Ren, or you will be to blame for me losing my esteemed position."  
"Cross my heart and hope to sleep with you again." Kylo muttered in a dreamy tone.  
"Excuse me?" Hux started, leaning over to look the other man in the face.  
"Nothing, sir." His mocking tone making Hux laugh as he relaxed back onto the bed.   
"So, what happens now?" Hux question sounded concerned, a sincere inquiry about the status of their relationship, but Kylo was paying no attention, because he he had moved to straddle Hux, his large frame pinning him down. The strangled sound of shock Hux produced was enough to make Kylo grin. Just before their lips met, the general appeared to realised something, "Kylo, you're in my quarters."  
"Yes, well done; points for observation." Kylo laughed against Hux's pale skin.  
"My quarters are not your cell."  
"Once again, I have to say it; Well done, poin-"  
"You aren't in your cell! How are you in here?" Hux snapped, ruining the mood. Kylo muttered something foul-sounding about getting worked up and then getting nothing, then saying, "Come on, I'm a Sith Lord. If you humans thought that your puny glass cells could hold me, you have another thing coming." Hux when to sit up and move away, but Kylo pinned him back down,  
"Don't fret, general, I'll behave. No one will know I was gone; I left a projection of myself asleep in the cell." Hux didn't speak, but reluctantly gave in, letting Kylo bring their lips together again, and getting lost in the wanting feeling that thrummed so violently throughout his body.

A knock on the door of Hux's quarters brought everything spiralling back to the bitterness of reality where you've just slept with the criminal you were meant to be guarding and now you might be found out and lose the job you've worked so hard for and Hux can feel his mind going into panic and he can think of nothing else but-   
"Kylo, hide!" The force-user scrambled off of Hux's bed, his eyes darting around, desperately searching for somewhere to hide. Hux pulled his clothes back on haphazardly, messing up the buttons. Kylo crossed over to him and righted them gently. His fingers lingered on Hux's skin for a moment longer, and the other man let out an involuntary shiver. "Kylo, get in the closet. Now." His voice was an urgent whisper, his teeth clenched. Kylo laughed at the statement, he was already so far into the closet. Giving Hux a fleeting kiss, he scampered over to the dark wardrobe, ripping the doors open and climbing inside. Because of his size, the dark-haired men was curled in on himself, shoulders slumped. Hux slid a hand over Kylo's bare leg, the closest limb to him, watching the force-user react. His eyes were playful, "One of your underlings is waiting for you outside." Hux jumped at the statement, he had almost forgotten, met with Kylo's devious gaze. "Right. I trust you'll leave my rooms without being seen?"   
"Of course, general."  
"And go back to you cell?" Kylo's hesitation at these words was obvious, but a small growl-like sound from Hux made his mind up. "Of course, sir, I will be there promptly." Hux deemed that he would trust the other man, and spun on his heel, slamming the closet door and crossing to the entrance. The stormtrooper looked bemused, "General?"  
"I apologise, 90218, I was... Preoccupied." The man in the snow-white mask that stood before him showed no expression, apart from leaning around Hux to survey his bedroom, which was visible through the door behind him. Hux did not turn around, partly out of fear, but also because of his huge ego. It would be a sign of weakness. The silence unsettled him, but he brushed it away, "What was it you wanted?" He snapped.  
"You are requested on the bridge, sir." The modulated voice said, straight and impersonal.  
"I will be there promptly." The white-suited man saluted, his heels clicking together, and marched away. Hux sighed, that was a close one! He turned around to close his door, catching the edge of a streak of black on the otherwise pale carpet. Stepping closer, he gasped. Kylo's cloak was sprawled across the floor, obviously marking what they had done. The stifled laughter that echoed out of the cupboard made Hux's face almost as bright as his hair. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Some secrets are just too important to keep hidden.

Kylo's eyebrow jerked up, a silent enquirer to an empty room. The sound of hurried clicking made his open his eyes. He rolled his shoulders as he placed his feet onto the ground, stepping towards the glass for the confrontation he knew was about to speed around the corner, wrapped in grey uniform and red badges and topped off with a shock of glowing hair. The voice reached him before the body did, and the effect was still not quite as menacing as the person speaking might have hoped it would be. "Kylo Ren, for the love of god I hope you are actually-" his voice hitched in surprise, the other man thought it was cute, "-there. You came back to your cell?"  
"Yes. Aren't you proud?" His tone was venomous, but laced with sarcasm.   
"I am. But... Why?" Hux couldn't understand it. This man hated his imprisonment, and yet he had freely returned to it. Kylo considered this question, unsure of the reasons. "I- I don't know. I just thought I should." Hux's grin spread so wide,  
"My, my; has Kylo Ren developed a sense of right or wrong? Of duty and responsibility?" Kylo laughed, telling the other man to stop, but Hux did not. "An ability to sympathise? To feel? Why, how the villains of the universe shall weep!" They were both laughing, relaxed and open. Hux was suddenly taken aback by Kylo's laugh. He had never heard the other man truly laugh. The short, clipped thing he did when forced to was not real. He was also hit by the fact that he was laughing too. He never laughed, let alone with someone like Kylo. It felt nice, safe and, once again, right. The force user was suddenly serious, "How long will I be held here?" Hux was taken aback be the inquiry, "I... Don't know. Until we can have your trial, I suppose."  
"How long will that be?"  
"It's not my choice, Kylo, that's the Supreme Leader's area." The other man did not reply, only nodding. He did not meet Hux's gaze. The general stepped towards the glass, "Kylo, I'm sorry I can't help you."  
"You could. You can unlock the cell, let me out." Kylo sounded desperately hopeful, his trust misplaced in a man that lived by the rules. "Kylo, you know I don't have the authority-" The other man shook his head, interrupting, "You know I didn't commit the crime they have me here for? I was framed. I don't know how, but I was." Hux's breath caught in his throat, don't make me pick between you and them. Kylo gave a wry laugh, "You know it would always come to that choice, though." Hux fixed his eyes on Kylo's, remembering a time long ago where he was forced to make a similar choice. 

"You aren't going to join the cadets, are you?" His mother gave him a disapproving look, her hands halted in the process of braiding her golden hair. He was silent, remembering his fathers words. And, speak of the devil, his father came up behind him, clapping him on the shoulder; "Don't listen to your mother, you'll be a commander like me. Maybe an even higher rank! You will do the Hux family proud." His younger self knew what was coming, "You know, this family has been in the army for generations; six, I think." He looked reluctantly to his mother, but she stayed silent. He has always know she would. She was scared. And he hated her for it.

The next memory surfaced without a glimpse of reality, as if prompted. Hux would have cursed Kylo, if he hadn't been plunged back into the past.

"Now is your choice! Take your life into your own hands! Join us, the First Order need you." He gazed with awe at the man in the dark uniform; red insignia blazing, head held high. That was who he wanted to be; strong, proud and perfect. He wanted order and power. He wanted to make up for the weakness his mother showed in her last moments, how she begged to be saved. He had stayed still; it was all a resistance sympathiser like her deserved. He wanted to make up for the shame she had brought to their name, and for the blindness his father had shown when marrying her. Blinded by love. That was the one thing he would never be; "I will join you!" 

Hux gasped, stumbling back. "Kylo!" He growled, knowing the the other man had brought those memories forwards. "I apologise, my curiosity got the better of me." Hux rubbed his temples, eyes closed. The pounding headache caused by the use of the force was making him feel dizzy. Opening his eyes, he tried to gain control of the conversation they had been having before he was dragged for a trip through memory hell. "Yes, I knew this choice would come, but I had hoped that we would have longer together. I had hoped that you would be found innocent and released, so I could choose you without fear of being hunted, or imprisoned myself."   
"But you don't believe that I'm innocent?"  
"I want to believe it, and I haven't seen any proof of any wrongdoing at all." Hux sighed.  
"You mean that the Supreme Leader hasn't told you what I've been accused of doing?" Kylo seemed shocked. "No, I have no clue." He paused, "But you could show me?" He asked, letting the question linger in the air. Surely the force-user could use his mind-control powers to show him what had happened? "No. Absolutely not."  
"Why not?"  
"No one is allowed into my mind." His expression was stormy.  
"Not even me?" Hux was surprised, and more than a little hurt.  
"No. No one, and you are not an exception." Hux tried to make light of the statement, to hid how it made him feel, "But you let me into your-"   
"I'm sorry, Hux, but it's my rule." His tone softened slightly, but Hux could only hear the words 'You are not an exception' running around and around and... He stopped himself. Maybe it was foolish to think his feelings for Kylo were requited; the man was a psychopath, after all. "Hux, please, I didn't mean it like that. I meant..." He stumbled over what he was trying to say, "I know I'm not very good at relationships, but I think that... You mean a lot to me. I know we aren't the usual type of relationship, but I think if something were to happen to you I would miss you. A lot." Hux let a small smile slip out. He knew that what Kylo had just said was the upmost show of love that the man was capable of admitting, and that it came from the heart. It was Kylo's version of 'I love you', and it was just what Hux had needed. He grinned at the other man, all trace of doubt gone, "I cant let you out of this cell, but I can come into it..."   
"Then what are you still outside for?"


	3. Chapter 3

This time, Hux was too preoccupied to check for cameras as he was, once again, backed against the white wall of the cell and kissed to within an inch of his life. Within seconds Kylo's hot hands were sliding across Hux's cold skin, his breath hitching and hands shaking. The force-wielder's lips brushed the other man's stomach, the muscles clenching. Hux knew the kisses would leave marks, and he felt a silent sense of pleasure that Kylo had deemed him fit to claim as his own. That thought was quickly felled when he realised how sick it sounded. Kylo raised his head back up to meet Hux's eyes again, his voice teasing, "You like that?"   
"No! Well... Yes, perhaps." Hux stammered.  
"I'm receiving mixed messages, General."  
"I don't know. A part of me likes that you want me like that... But the other part thinks it's wrong." Kylo chuckled, "Don't worry, I'll keep it below the neck of your uniform." Judging that Hux was content with this arrangement, Kylo continued his ravishing of the other man.

On a planet many leagues away, the Supreme Leader frowned, tearing his eyes away from the video in embarrassment. I gave him one job... How unprofessional! He growled, "Someone set up my hologram generator. Hail the Finaliser, and tell the General to meet me." A meaningless employee did what he asked immediately. He set his face to a neutral expression which was far from the livid anger that lurked underneath.

Hux quickly straightened his collar, his mind in turmoil. A summons from the Supreme Leader was probably not a good thing; even if one had not, only several minutes before, been being severely pleasured by a Sith Lord. The general rushed to the grand, dark chamber where his boss' hologram would appear. He hoped his actions with Kylo weren't revealed by his appearance, raking his hands through his vivid hair to flatten it. The shadowy doors slid open without a sound. Hux slowed down his steps to a polite and punctual walk. The hologram flickered to life in hues of green and blue, revealing the form of the Supreme Leader in all his horrific glory. "My Lord, what do you require of me?"   
"Nothing but your services in guarding Mr Ren. And how am I replayed for giving you this ample opportunity to improve my opinion of you?" His voice sounded like claws across wrought iron mixed with the echo of bones breaking. It gave Hux chills, not that he'd admit it. The hologram continued, "You repay me by engaging in improper relations with the man. General, I expected..." What words came after that were lost to Hux's ears, he was so shocked. How does he know about me and Kylo? What will he do? Hux had failed to think how powerful the Supreme leader was, obviously not taking the hint in the man's name; he must be called 'supreme' for a reason. "General?" The word was spat like a curse. Hux had been asked a question. He was not given a chance to answer it, "Ah, you are surprised. You did not think that I might take the liberty, on my own ship to install surveillance methods?" Hux gave a quiet, stuttering answer. "Obviously you had not." The general's voice came back on line, "I checked for cameras... The first time." He immediately wished he hadn't said it. The flickering form didn't speak, instead making a bemused humming sound. Then it's expression changed, morphing into something more serious and cunning. "You do know what he did, don't you?"   
"What do you mean?" Hux's voice had gone very quiet.  
"His crime, what he was imprisoned for. You must have been shown the footage..." The booming voice trailed off in a teasing whisper. Hux was adamant, "No, I haven't seen it, and I don't want to. I know, in my heart, that he is innocent."  
"Well, I thought I had trained you better! Forming a conclusion without seeing all of the evidence. A poorly judged action, General." Hux could hardly speak, but he could see where this was going. Part of his mind was already whispering, he wouldn't show you what he had done... There must have been a reason for it. Maybe it wasn't just his principles... Hux wouldn't let his own mind accuse his lover of such things. The hologram continued, "Let me show you, General, as this in inherently important to your case." A large screen emerged from the wall, and it powered up with a small hum. "Let me show you... Why you cannot trust Mr Ren."

A cold forest, snow falling; the trees bend like old men with the weight of it, creating a sense of something broken. It is not a pleasant scene. Then a swirl of black. It takes Hux too long to identify Kylo's Sith-dress-garment, flying by the screen in a rapid tornado of shadow. He is moving almost too quickly to follow. The only sure thing Hux can see is that flaming lightsaber, it's three blades sparking as snowflakes collide with them. Three people rush towards the shrouded form, only to be quickly mowed down by the weapon. Another group are stopped in their tracks by the force, all collapsing from suffocation. Then Kylo emerges into an open space, where a village crouches. Men, woman and children are all treated the same; met with the spitting cord of flame in a quick sharp motion. He moves from person to person as if it is a dance, footsteps light and arms swinging. In any other situation, Hux would have called it beautiful. But this was not beauty, this was stark, vicious, beastly killing. There was no other way about it, and Hux couldn't look away. Couldn't speak. Couldn't move. Couldn't deny that it was Kylo, Kylo, Kylo. The man he loved. The man he had let into his bedroom. The man who had pleasured him to the point of euphoria. A killer; plain, simple and unavoidable...

When he finally regained the ability to look away, his head snapped to the side, meeting the Supreme Leader's green-ish gaze. "Can you deny it now?"   
"No, sir." He felt something cold and stark fall back into place around his heart. He was stupid to think that someone like Kylo was a normal person; that he could feel love or empathy or anything of the sort. Maybe Hux had just been a toy to the other man? It had seemed so real... "Now you are doubting everything he has ever said to you. All the exchanges of passion and need, of promises unuttered."   
"Yes." Is all Hux was able to say. The hologram smirk was just as painful as the real one would be. Hux cannot equate the two people he knows: a troubled but gentle young man and an evil, malicious murderer. It is like a jigsaw puzzle with half the pieces from another set. "And what will you do now, General?"  
"What the First Order would expect of me, Sir. To obey and to strike, when ordered." He paused, his breath catching as if he was about to cry. But he was, of course, not going to do that. Not at all. "...And, what are my orders, sir?" 

Kylo's voice was full of concern when Hux strolled around the corner, "Hux, thank the Lord, you're alright. You disappeared for a while there. I couldn't see you at all. I was worr-"  
"Please, Mr Ren, calm down. I will not have a distraught prisoner on my watch."  
"Hux?" He knew immediately, by the way the other man walked, that something was wrong. Hux had been shielded from his detection by the Supreme Leader. It did not take Kylo's mind long to jump to conclusions. "What did he tell you?" His tone was hushed. Sure.  
"The footage-" Hux's throat tightened, and his words fought to get out, "What you did. The people you killed."  
"Hux, it wasn't-" Kylo stepped forwards to put his hands up against the glass.  
"Don't deny it!" The general shouted, voice ragged, "I saw it was you! You killed them all like animals without remorse or care or-" He gasped in a breath, an attempt to control his temper. It obviously didn't work. "You're a monster. I don't know how I didn't see it. A lying, treacherous monster who calls himself a man. You two-faced bastard!"  
"Hux, please-"  
"Don't beg me! You are not in a position to ask for my help or forgiveness because of what you did to those innocent-" For a moment, he couldn't say anything at all.   
"Hux, let me say one thing." He was met with more silence, which he took as a yes. "This will sound condescending, but there is no other way around it. You do not understand the force and its many nuances. Yes it was me-", a strangled cry escaped the other man, breaking Kylo's heart,   
"-but I did not have control over my own actions. I was being manipulated." Hux's face showed too many emotions for Kylo to take in. For a long time, neither man said anything. "You have to trust me." The force-user whispered, kneeling on the white floor, dark fabric pooling around him. It brought back the image of that very same robe flying past the prone form of a child... "You think that excuse will hold up against a jury? You are mistaken." The coldness of his tone stung Kylo, who had collapsed onto his knees, head in his hands. "Please Hux, you're the only one who can help me. Don't you feel anything-"   
"You are an excellent actor, Ren." The dark-haired man flinched back as Hux spat his name in disgust, "You made me believe that you loved me. Congratulations, another trophy for your hall."   
"That's not how it is, Hux! Who told you that I-" The other man's expression of desperation almost made Hux stop. He did feel something for Kylo... Or he had. That was not the case anymore. "Please, Ren, stop."  
"You are lying to yourself, general." His voice was quiet. Hux stepped right up to the glass, a snarl on his lips, "Do not presume to tell me how I feel, scum." With that he turned on his heel and almost ran away, along the corridor, the sound of Kylo's voice echoing the slamming of his shoes on the metal.


	4. Chapter 4

Three days later, when the message arrived on Hux's comms screen, his immediate thought was that he should tell Kylo. But then it hit him. Kylo would not want to see him. Hux felt as if he should've done something to warn Kylo about his impending trial, but he quickly convinced himself that he didn't care. He doesn't mean anything to me anymore. 

"General Hux." The Supreme Leader's voice rung through his head, "You will be present at the trial, I trust?"  
"If you want me to be, yes." Hux reluctantly agreed, hoping that he wouldn't have to speak or confront Kylo. "Oh, General? I would like you to testify as witness to his wrongdoing." Hux sighed, feeling the guilt bloom in his heart. "Sir, I have only seen the video you showed me. How can I-?"  
The hologram hushed him, "But I needn't know that." Hux stopped. His conscience was extremely uncomfortable with lying to anyone, but this was an order. He nodded, "No, sir. I understand."  
"Good." He purred, "Then I shall see you in two days."  
"Yes sir." The trained response emerged from his throat, however much he wanted to kick and shout, he could not. He had been perfectly conditioned into the obedient soldier, forever obeying and cleaning up the mistakes of his leaders. But is that not the one place he has always wanted to be? Hux had fought, like his father and grandfather before him, to take command of a key vessel of the First Order's armada. Maybe the dream was sweeter than the reality, as is the way with many things. 

Kylo steeled himself. He could do this. His trial would be small, he had suspected, and so he could take control of the minds of his captors and escape. This had not been the truth, from the moment he stepped into the ornate hall. There were hundreds of upturned faces glaring with apprehension in his direction. But only one face caught his attention, that of General Hux. Kylo has assumed that Hux would refuse to attend the trial. He had, evidently, been wrong. 

Hux tried to keep his expression neutral as Kylo emerged from the large doors at the front of the hall. The force-user was not wearing his usual midnight robe, but had been suited in the regulation grey jumpsuit, face bared to the masses that had swarmed to see the condemning of the galaxy's favourite scapegoat. When did I stop believing the Supreme Leader and start trusting Kylo? Hux wondered, realising that he did not think that the dark-haired man would kill all those people. Upon command, he sat, feeling hopeless. What can I do about it now? 

"General Brandol Hux, please take your place at the stand." Kylo started, He is a witness? Of what? The usual, repetitive checking that Hux is who he said he is was carried out, and then his testimony begun. "I was on a mission out to the planet Aeries V with a limited crew when-" He coughed, "Excuse me. Uh... Yes, I saw Kylo- Mr Ren, I mean- There. He was attacking the people he has been accused of killing, and... He- he did those terrible things." A man Hux did not recognise stopped him with a hand, "General, you sound unsure." It was not a question. Hux let his eyes wander to Kylo.

Their eyes met for a moment, and the gaze stuck. Kylo tried to convey everything; the guilt, the sorrow, the love. And something told him that Hux understood.

The mystery man who had asked the previous question saw Hux's line of view. His eyes narrowed. That was not a look you gave someone you had watched over for a few weeks. "General, who is this man to you?"  
"My charge. The man I have watched over for the duration of his imprisonment."  
"Only that?" The question made Hux pause; he hadn't expected such a suggestion. He went to say a plain, simple 'yes'. But something stopped him. He swallowed, catching Kylo's eyes again. His mind reached a vital realisation. He hoped the other man could hear him when he thought, I'm tired of running from the inevitable. "No. That isn't it. He's... He my lover." A ripple of protest and shock scaled the banks of seated people around them. "And why did you testify against him, if you are in a sexual relationship?"   
"I was shown footage by the Supreme Leader which suggested that he was guilty. I was then convinced that it was Kylo's doing, and told that I must be a witness today. I believed that my career was at stake." The man turned to the judge,   
"I rest my case. This man is an unreliable witness who has been manipulated into this. He is also biased by love, I would say." The judge accepted this proposal, and a stormtrooper emerged to escort Hux away. In the chaos that arose from his admission, Hux passed close to where Kylo sat. To his surprise, two pale hands seized his grey lapels and jerked his sideways. Kylo had stood up in his small, wooden pen and grabbed Hux. He smashed their lips together desperately, muttering all the promises and devotion he should have said to Hux before. The masked white soldier prised them apart, the crowd in complete chaos. Hux knew what he should say, and he knew that Kylo wanted to hear it. "I love you." Hux gasped as he was pulled away, out of the room. 

Kylo could hardly contain the utter and complete emotion he felt. He was a mess. Of desire. Of love. Of hate for the people who kept them apart so he couldn't pin Hux against a wall and let the other man feel how much Kylo loved him. Their moment of bliss was abruptly cut off by the judge calling order and the trial commencing. The previous accusations against the Supreme Leader of trying to avert the course of justice were brought back up, and the trial continued; focused now on the Supreme Leader himself. Unfortunately, the person in question was not there to testify. A messenger was told to contact him. The trial petered out while the gathered people waited for his arrival. Soon, a man in a black uniform marched in holding a small, dark box. He placed it on the floor at the front of the hall and stepped back. Out from the box grew a hologram of the Supreme Leader, flickering greenly as he always did. The booming voice proclaimed, "Greetings Judge, Jury, audience and others. I am near your ship, but I will not come aboard. Why have you called me here?"  
"Firstly, to search through Kylo Ren's mind." The judge spoke, "And secondly, to ask you a few questions." The Supreme Leader did not reply, he only turned to Kylo with a grim look on his face. The other man jerked in his chair, gritting his teeth. He seemed to be straining against something. Then he slumped, and everyone in the room saw the true story.

A cold forest, the snow falling. A huge form approaches you, hands outstretched. "Kylo Ren, you will do as I bid you." Then pain, as if your limbs are being bent backwards too far. "Submit." The creature spat, flexing its fingers. You feel your mind being invaded and tried to push it away, but this thing is stronger, older. Images of what it wants you to flash through your mind; visions of horror and gore and death. You can just choke out a question, "Why?"   
"You have become a problem to me. This is how you will be disposed of, boy." Then the pain returns, so intense that your vision goes dark.  
Your senses only become yours again days later, when you awaken in a field of blood and bones. At first, you think you must be the only survivor of a massacre; but you slowly realise that you are not the victim here, your hands coated with blood and the bodies littering the ground nearest you scorched as if by a flame. 

With a gasp, Kylo snapped back into reality. The crowd were speechless. He had not been aware of what he had done. All along, he was innocent, essentially. Strangely, the hologram that had hovered in the centre of the room was gone. The judge, having recovered from the vision, spoke, "I hereby rule that Kylo Ren was completely unaware of the atrocities committed, and was provoked by the Supreme Leader into this crime. I judge him innocent and set him free." A small cheer from one corner of the crowd followed this announcement, but Kylo could not speak. All he wanted was to find Hux and tell him that they could be together, after all. That nothing would be in their way now. Someone approached him to ask him how he felt, but all he cared about was finding Hux. "I'm sorry, but I have to find him and tell him." He rushed as quickly as he could out of the hall, headed towards the general's quarters.


	5. Chapter 5

Hux's bedroom was empty. As was his station on the bridge. He stopped to ask a passing stormtrooper where the general could usually be found. "Sometimes he sits in an old armchair in the library and reads books made of paper." Kylo did not thank him, only ran towards the old room suggested. This, too, was completely empty. Kylo began to panic; he tried to assure himself, at every turn, that the other man would be just around the corner. He never was.

After more than an hour of fruitless searching, Kylo heard something. It wasn't a sound, as such, but a thought. It was so faint that he couldn't make out words, only a sense of desperation and biting pain. By this time, the force-user was deep in the bowels of the ship, the low hum of the building-sized engines making every surface vibrate. He traced the thought to a door browned with age, made out of some old metal that had corroded, turning rough and brittle. The barrier was ripped off its hinges with a flick of his wrist, clattering to the floor behind him. The room beyond was too dark to see anything, but Kylo quickly found the light switch. As his eyes focused on the scene before him, he felt pain and anger blossom deep inside him, his knees going weak momentarily.

Hux lay, prone, on the metal floor. The room had been recently painted with the general's blood, violently forced from him with a blunt instrument of some sort. His jacket was nowhere to be seen; his shirt was ripped to shreds, the skin underneath a lattice of vivid scars; his arms tied behind him with a scrap of rag, legs treated the same. His face was almost unrecognisably swollen, lips cracked and cheeks cut. Kylo let out a sound that came from somewhere deep within him. A place he had never realised he had before. Realising that this was less then helpful, the force-user call out, "Help!" The general's emerald eyes met his, a gladness filling them. His thoughts settled, no longer fearing. Kylo is with me now. He will fix it all. The force-user dropped to his knees, his hands shaking. He didn't know what to do; if he touched Hux, he may hurt him. There wasn't an inch of his skin that had not been ripped apart. Steeling himself, and apologising quickly to Hux, Kylo slipped his arms carefully under the general's body. The other man grunted, but showed no other signs of pain. By this time, Kylo's shout had been heard by a group of stormtroopers who were patrolling the old engines, they rushed to his aid. He refused to hand his lover over to them. Instead, Kylo ran to the med-bay himself, depositing Hux onto one of the starched, white beds. Doctors surrounded him, obscuring Kylo's view of the man he loved. 

"Oh, my dear, you cannot sit here forever!" The nurse said as she bustled in to check on Hux. The First Order had robots to do her job, but Kylo wanted Hux to be treated with the respect he deserved as a general, and insisted he be treated by a person, not a machine. A nurse periodically entered the blank room, her voice the only sound that Kylo heard each day, save the artificial chirps of the devices hooked up to Hux. Kylo chuckled, as he always did, "I know, but I will sit here until he wakes up."  
"Love, it's been two days. You have to get some rest. I promise I won't leave his side until you come back." Although her tone was caring, and she was being more considerate that he deserved, Kylo had to decline. "No, I'm sorry. I know you would do a great job, but I can't... I can't lose him again. I want to be here when he wakes up." He spoke quietly, like a broken man. The nurse put a hand on his shoulder, "I understand. Just mind yourself. He won't like it if he opens his eyes and you're ill too!" Kylo tried to laugh at her lighthearted comments, but he only felt the emptiness. Putting a tray of assorted boxes, cups and trays down on the table, the nurse crossed to the screens that lined the walls. She nodded, satisfied, and wandered back over to a tray, taking a bag of water and hooking it up to the pipe that fed directly into Hux's body. Kylo sat in silence, his eyes heavy. After doing her assigned activities, the nurse turned to leave, nodding at Kylo as she left. She paused, the door half-way open, "You really love him, don't you?"   
"Yes. I do."  
"Then you know that he'd want you to be well and happy." She stated. Kylo was silent. "And you can't be happy if you're not healthy. Please, do it for him." Kylo sighed,  
"I apologise again; It's just not going to work." He let his head fall into his hands. Before the door snapped closed, Kylo heard the woman say, "He is a very lucky man. Don't take that away from him." 

Two day days after that, action was taken. For several hours, objects such as medical equipment and furniture had been levitating spasmodically. During this time, doctors and nurses had been searching for the source of the anomaly. Finally, it had been traced back to Kylo. The force-user was sitting completely still, eyes wide open. His skin was pale, and there were more shadows under his eyes than there are on Halloween night. He had become so exhausted that his powers had begun to escape his control. They latched on to almost anything that could be easily moved. Spare chairs, syringes, lamps and keyboards all floated several inches off their original resting places, rising and falling without pattern or reason. This had quickly brought the med-bay to a complete standstill, and the head doctor had called in the stormtroopers to deal with Kylo. "Just move him somewhere else. He hasn't left that room in four days, and he's starting to get us all down." The masked soldiers burst into the room, shocking Kylo into moving.   
"Kylo Ren, we have been asked to remove you from the med-bay, back to your chambers."  
"Why?" His voice was hoarse.  
"Because you have caused a disturbance." The monotonous voice gave noting away.  
"How could I have? I've been sitting here for several days now." He couldn't stop a slight hint of annoyance tinge his tone. "I understand, Mr Ren, but the medical staff have been complaining about objects levitating spasmodically. We understand that this is caused by you. I would ask that you leave the med-bay."   
"No." Kylo growled, adamant that he should not leave Hux.   
"Sir, I insist." The stormtrooper's tone darkened, as if to mark a threat. Kylo still did not budge,  
"But I am not leaving his side." Two more soldiers marched in, sensing a ruckus. In response, Kylo reached into his pockets and drew his lightsaber, its glowing red blade emerging at the click of a button. The masked men jumped back, guns ready. "I am afraid violence will be met with violence, Mr Ren." The first one said, tone flat.   
"Yeah? Well I'm afraid that you'll be met with this!" The dark-haired man leapt forwards.

"Kylo?" The room screeched to a halt. The feeble, breathy voice had paused time, momentarily. Kylo stopped, his weapon slipping from his hand, the hilt clattering to the floor. "Hux? Oh, thank god, Hux." Time started again, stormtroopers standing back in shock and nurses peeking into the room to catch a glimpse of the action. The general coughed, his whole body shaking. The ship's medical geniuses had worked magic on his scars, making them all but disappear. Only one remained visible on his face; a curve of raised, silvery skin cutting across one cheek. "Kylo, what were you doing?" He choked, once he had recovered.  
"They tried to make me leave you." Kylo breathed, kneeling by the bed and taking Hux's hand gently. The other man looked less than pleased, "And so you attacked them?"  
"Yes, I'm sorry, I just couldn't leave you." This made Hux's expression soften, a tentative smile spread, followed by a wince of pain. The general shook his head minutely, "I leave you alone for less than a week and you're trying to attack the staff. You're impossible!" Kylo laughed for the first time in days, kissing the back of Hux's hand. He winked, "But now you're back, I'll behave myself."  
Hux lifted the other man's chin up to bring their lips together properly, "You had better


	6. Chapter 6

The judge's loud voice, enhanced by some hidden device, pronounced Kylo's official pardon. The man's long, judicial robes looked out of place on the bridge, which was comprised only of sleek panels and silver trimmings. "Kylo Ren, you are officially pardoned of all previous crimes and accusations. This document is valid for the rest of your lifetime, in every inch of the existing universe. Congratulations." Kylo's grin was infectious, and Hux just had to join in.   
"So, you're not a convict anymore?" Hux teased.  
"No, apparently not." There was a shout from behind the main door to the bridge, and a group of stormtroopers marched in. They carried two men between them, arms bound. "Sir." One said, addressing Hux, "We have captured your attackers." The general shuddered, but Kylo's hand on his arm calmed him. The force-user looked concerned, "Are you sure it's them?"   
"Yes. I would know their faces anywhere." A near haunted look passed over Hux's face. The lead stormtrooper nodded, "We shall imprison them immediately, sir." He spun on his heel and marched the group out of the room. Kylo curled his had around Hux's, a silent message of support. The general leaned down and pressed their lips together quickly, an unspoken thank you.

"I hereby charge you with battery and assaulting a First Order officer, and sentence you to at least 10 years in prison." The judge called, the muttering of the assembled jury and crowd dying down. The two men were escorted out in silence. However, once the convicts were gone, the whole room cheered. Hux looked so relieved, his month of horror was over. The smile that Kylo got in return for his was one of utter tiredness, and it made the force-user's heart do something it had never done before. He had a sudden moment of enlightenment, and knew what he should do. "Hux, would you... Should we... Can I... Uh." He laughed nervously, attempting to make sense, "You know how much I... As there is all this legal nonsense going on at the moment... Might you-"  
"Yes. I will." Hux's eyes danced with amusement. Kylo was momentarily stunned.  
"What?"  
"I will marry you." Hux said calmly, taking Kylo's hand and kissing the back of it, then trailing his lips across and down to the inside of the other man's wrist. Kylo placed a finger under Hux's chin, lifting his head up. "I love you." The dark-haired man whispered.  
"I know." Hux replied. The people around the couple clapped as Kylo's hand splayed across Hux's back and the general twisted his hands into his long, midnight hair. Kylo muttered near-unintelligible nothings to Hux, as their lips moved lovingly over each other.


	7. Chapter 7

The man with the bright hair stirred the food again. The small boy standing by his side went to grab a slice of the bread that sat on the kitchen top, but Hux tapped his hand in warning. "Lucas, stop it. If you eat now, you won't want supper, and Daddy's made your favourite!" The boy grinned, tapping his Dad's leg, "Why does the food take so long?" He whined.  
"Because you need to learn what patience is." This phrase had been heard many times before. The boy huffed in annoyance and went to sit down at the table. Hux waited until the pot he had been doting over was steaming violently, then he shouted up the stairs, "Kylo! Food is ready; bring Flo down!" The clomping of feet announced the other man's arrival, a small, blond girl seated on his hip. Kylo grinned, "Smells delicious, well done." He leaned in to kiss Hux gently, laughing. The former general's attention was pulled away by their children making a racket. The dark-haired man lifted one eyebrow, Hux chuckled in return, there's no peace for the wicked. "Lucas, stop playing with your cutlery. Help your sister, now." The food was placed onto plates and the family sat. Before the boy begun to eat, he spoke, "Daddy, at school today we learnt about the first order. They said you commanded the Finalizer, and Starkiller base. Is it true?"  
"Yes, it is." He smiled at the boy, "That is where I met your father." The two men exchanged a glance full of of memories. Lucas continued, "And we learnt about Han Solo and Leia Organa and Luke Skywalker." Hux looked carefully up at Kylo, but the other man only smiled sadly, no trace of the violent flinch that used to accompany any mention of his parents. Hux grinned, "Maybe one day, you can be like them; heroes."   
"The teacher wanted me to talk about them, but I don't really know anything about them."  
The other child piped in; "How did you meet Daddy, Daddy?" Hux laughed, flashing Kylo a flirtatious glance; just as quick and mischievous as he had always been. "One day, on Starkiller base, the Supreme Leader of the First Order told me that I was to guard the notorious Kylo Ren, a powerful Sith Lord. Outwardly, I hated him. But I had always, ever since I had first heard about his powers, been intrigued and very curious to who he was. I had wanted to meet him, and there was my chance. Unfortunately he was in the worst bad mood you have ever seen!" Kylo laughed,  
"I was not!" He dropped his fork down on the table in mock offence. Hux leaned in closer to the two kids, "He had done something bad, and was locked in a special room for bad people." He said in a stage whisper, his hand raise to hide his mouth from the other man, "And I had to watch him to make sure that he did not try and escape." Kylo stood up, rounding the table to join in the obvious whispering, "The ship we were on did not have a room that could stop me using the force, so your father had to be there almost all of the time." Kylo patted his shoulder, "At first, I found it annoying. I just wanted to leave, but I quickly realised that Hux loved order, and I could make chaos. It became a little game, I suppose. He would try and order me about, I would reply by undermining his supposed authority." Lucas and Flo looked utterly confused, and Kylo mentally berated himself, too many long words... "I would say something funny that annoyed him." Their eyes cleared and they smiled. Hux shook his head, "Somehow, this turned into love; and here we are." Kylo leaned his to kiss him again, lingering slightly. They pulled away from each other just as Lucas said, "Will you tell us all about the Skywalkers and the Huxs? So if they ask us again, I can tell my teacher all about them. And tell us about how you met, too." The two men glanced up, their eyes meeting. For a moment, it was as if they had just met properly for the first time. Kylo lay there in those tight, black clothes, hair cascading down in perfect curls and posture relaxed in an infuriatingly attractive way. Kylo flashed back to his first view of Hux, an up-tight, regulation officer with an unusual shock of ginger hair; compulsively obsessive about everything and completely undone by anything that did not follow this perfect order. Kylo had far too much fun bending his carefully constructed principles almost to breaking point, and making the general watch as he did so. Hux brushed the other man's cheek gently, "One day, I was called to the Supreme Leader's hall..."

And hours later, after his voice had become hoarse and the two children had been tucked into their beds; Hux returned downstairs to where Kylo sat, still in his seat from dinner. Hux leaned down to brunch his lips along the other man's neck. Kylo slid his seat back, letting Hux straddle his hips, sitting in his lap. "Well, that was a blast from the past." The force user muttered against his husband's lips, hands slipping underneath the thin fabric of Hux's grey shirt and onto the toned skin of his back. Even though the man was no longer an acting general, he still kept in perfect shape. Hux purred, the sound thrumming through Kylo's bones and doing confusing things to his senses. The force-user chuckled, "I remember the first time you kissed me." They both chuckled,   
"We were so clumsy and unpracticed... And I think I took you by surprise." Hux winked, his hand resting on the back of Kylo's neck. The force-user laughed, "That you did. I didn't think that you had it in you to do something so..."  
"Chaotic?" Hux suggested.  
"Yes, something that you hadn't been ordered to do. I though you were such a rule-follower."  
"I was, until you got your dirty hands on me." His voice had dropped to a low moan as Hux moved against Kylo, their lips meeting again with more urgency. The dark-haired man leaned in close, his cheek brushing Hux's ear, "So... I got my hands on you like this?" He slid his palms up over the other man's stomach muscles. "Or... Like this." He let them glide down to the waistband of Hux's trousers, his belt 'magically' coming undone. Hux gasped, "It wasn't quite like that at the time..." Kylo gave him a wry look, and he hurried to continue, "But that's definitely what I want it to be like now." The other man nodded and continued his exploration, mixing memory with reality and letting their shared revelling in the experience echo from their bodies and out of the window, into the night sky above.


End file.
